UPDATE (February 17, 2021) — Connecticut officials found Listeria in samples of El Albuelito queso fresco cheese from a store where a sick person bought Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheese. Investigators are working to confirm if the Listeria bacteria found in this queso fresco is the same bacteria making people sick in this outbreak.
February 15, 2021 — Health officials are warning high-risk people not to eat Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheeses due to a Listeria outbreak.
No specific type or brand of cheese has been identified, so there have been no recalls yet.
As of Februar 11, at least 7 people in 4 states who ate Hispanic-style soft cheese (like queso fresco) were hospitalized after being infected with the same strain of Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The case count by state is Connecticut (1), Maryland (4), New York (1), and Virginia (1), with illnesses starting on dates ranging from October 20, 2020 through January 22, 2021.
The CDC cautions that more states may be involved in the outbreak, and the true number of illnesses is likely higher. Furthermore, illnesses that occurred in the last month may not have been reported yet.
In the meantime, state health officials are collecting and testing samples of Hispanic-style soft cheeses from stores where the sick people bought cheese, which may lead to a source for the outbreak.
Do I have a Listeria Food Poisoning Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting queso fresco induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with a Listeria infection, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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